Gyubin | Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

After years of carefully tending to her garden of creativity, so to speak, South Korean singer-songwriter Gyubin is now ready to enjoy her “moment of blooming,” as she describes. With the release of her first-ever EP called Flowering, the artist is excitedly anticipating her new season—just like the fast-approaching springtime, she’s also set on showing a new side of herself.

Dubbed as a K-pop “Super Rookie,” Gyubin wears her rightful crown with an air of confidence. A talented songstress with a sweet voice and a knack for songwriting, she also plays the guitar and can dance, too!  

Influenced by her music-loving father, she shared how she’s been exposed to several musical genres since she was young. “I grew up listening to a wide range of genres—from The Beatles to the Bee Gees, Olivia Newton-John, Mariah Carey, and even rock, like Guns N’ Roses and Extreme,” the singer told Metro.Style.

Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

Surrounded by such a dynamic selection of soundscapes as a child, the experience ingrained a passion that would eventually shape her future in music. “Singing and performing in front of people felt very natural to me at a young age,” she shared. And she decided there was no other more perfect path to take but the road to becoming, in her words, “a real artist.”

At eight, young Gyubin got her first guitar, with her dad acting as her first music mentor. The singer quickly realized that it’s something that she did well, and later on started her YouTube channel “Singer Bin” where she posted song covers of hits like Red Velvet’s “Psycho.” Her online performances earned a lot of attention from viewers, and she later found herself on TV for the very first time via the KBS music program Top 10 Student in 2020.

Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

It is thanks to this opportunity that the artist began receiving casting offers to join a company. Gyubin’s current agency, LIVEWORKS, is the only one that matched with her goal of becoming a solo artist. Fast forward to present, her journey has put her on a thrilling rollercoaster ride. From her pre-debut where she collaborated with esteemed rappers Wonstein and Gaeko to her debut single “Really Like You” (which has over 6 million views on YouTube and 21 million streams on Spotify) going viral globally, the K-pop vocalist said that these accomplishments gave her a mix of emotions. “I was excited, overwhelmed; sometimes challenged and nervous, too,” Gyubin admitted. 

She also had the time of her life performing before the international crowd with her appearance at the YouTube Music Night in Hong Kong as well as the most recent COUNTDOWN JAPAN, where she became the first K-Pop solo artist to perform at one of the country’s largest music festivals. As if that’s not enough, this K-pop sensation also unlocked another achievement as she sang for the OST of K-drama Motel California, "Day By Day," starring Lee Se-young and Na In-woo.

Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

Despite the inevitable jitters in a blossoming career, the young star is nothing but grateful, especially to her supporters. When asked about a memorable highlight from last year, Gyubin recalls a moment from her debut single’s promotions. “I saw the audience holding a placard with my name on it, and I almost cried when I realized that—there was my name in the crowd. I think that was the most memorable thing since my debut,” she reminisced.

Flowering is her way of giving back to the fans. “‘Flowering’ literally means ‘the moment of blooming’—that I want to bloom with you together. Just like a flower,” she described. Showcasing a more mature side of Gyubin, the fresh drop exhibits the singer’s ability in strong storytelling through her self-penned songs exploring themes of love; it also showcases her versatility when it comes to tackling various genres like teen pop, rock, and ballad. “I feel like I truly entered the season I’m blooming—and it’s just an interesting experience.”

Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

In her seven-track EP, the title song “Like You 100” holds a special place in her heart. Gyubin took extra care in writing this piece, aiming to make its message direct and clear while being easy to sing along to. While it took some time to complete the lyrics, all the effort was well worth it.

Now that Flowering is out for the whole world to listen to, the K-pop star is gearing towards her next goal of meeting more of her fans. “I think I’ll be able to meet my fans this year,” Gyubin teased. As she prepares to propel into another rollercoaster kind of a year, the singer let slip a few more things we can look forward to from her.

“As a singer-songwriter, I want to show more abilities through composing more songs and releasing an album full of my own songs. Also, I want to try some new things—maybe acting?” She added that she thinks an evil character might suit her. Or maybe we’ll find her in variety shows soon—but for now, Gyubin is basking in her “moment of blooming,” inspiring her listeners to bloom with happiness, too!

Photo courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY

Check out our exclusive Metro Talks interview with Gyubin:

Photos courtesy of LIVEWORKS COMPANY